06-21-2012, 10:51 AM
I have tried to keep Punaweb focused on Hawaiian and Puna issues. The current geothermal expansion debate has some crossover.
At the first large geothermal meeting in Pahoa, organized by Steve Hirakami of HAAS (and others), there was an exercise where everyone's concerns were posted on the wall and the public was invited to put three colored stickers next to their priority of concern. It was taking a public measure of everyone's concerns. I would like to thank Steve Hirakami for the format. It was useful. I had my three little colored dots and hesitated for a while and eventually went and put all three of mine on a concern written: "it's not oil". Not thought out deeply but that was my instinct. All three dots.
I haven't spoken much at all on the subject to anyone. I have been deeply disturbed over the past years that soldiers are fighting wars largely about oil resources. Thousands of American (Hawaiians included) have been killed. Tens of thousands of Americans (including Hawaiians) have been seriously injured. Hundreds of thousands of people overall have died... perhaps millions. Many, many more injured, displaced and otherwise suffering over struggles with energy (primarily oil) all over the world.
Then there is the highly debated subject of climate change or global warming or the liberal Al Gore Conspiracy - which ever you might prefer to call it. If the global affects of mankind's energy consumption are of little interest to you emotionally or intellectually then maybe the lives and deaths of too many people might be. But here and now there are about seven billion people who are driving cars, riding buses, working on farms, offices and factories and they like their lights at night and the t.v. set too. As do we all. I applaud our Puna residents who have made themselves partially or fully energy independent.
So I got to wondering how to compare the scale of energy consumed annually by approx. 7 billion people in terms of the energy released by a Hiroshima sized nuclear bomb. This seems like a way to grasp the affects on our atmosphere and planet since energy released by fossil fuel sources of power generation are approx. 80% of world energy produced. And a Hiroshima sized nuclear bomb is a good analogy for war. We mostly burn oil on our island for electricity.
I found that these calculations have been done (http://saurorja.org/2011/11/05/world-ene...omparison/). To equal world energy consumption one Hiroshima size bomb would need to be detonated every 5 seconds. That is 6,300,000 Hiroshima Bombs in one year. It is hard to comprehend. But is is comprehendible.
Now I'm not a scientist but that is a darn lot of fossil fuel being burned which is.... "non renewable and produces green house gases" (and wars).
I gotta think about this awhile more.... but this kinda sums up why my three little colored dots went on "it's not oil" at the Pahoa meeting. My three priorities. I share everyone's concerns about geothermal practice and safety and possible expansion. I do think we have to find workable alternatives for ourselves and every person and creature on the planet.
My apologies if this offends anyone. Just my point of view.
At the first large geothermal meeting in Pahoa, organized by Steve Hirakami of HAAS (and others), there was an exercise where everyone's concerns were posted on the wall and the public was invited to put three colored stickers next to their priority of concern. It was taking a public measure of everyone's concerns. I would like to thank Steve Hirakami for the format. It was useful. I had my three little colored dots and hesitated for a while and eventually went and put all three of mine on a concern written: "it's not oil". Not thought out deeply but that was my instinct. All three dots.
I haven't spoken much at all on the subject to anyone. I have been deeply disturbed over the past years that soldiers are fighting wars largely about oil resources. Thousands of American (Hawaiians included) have been killed. Tens of thousands of Americans (including Hawaiians) have been seriously injured. Hundreds of thousands of people overall have died... perhaps millions. Many, many more injured, displaced and otherwise suffering over struggles with energy (primarily oil) all over the world.
Then there is the highly debated subject of climate change or global warming or the liberal Al Gore Conspiracy - which ever you might prefer to call it. If the global affects of mankind's energy consumption are of little interest to you emotionally or intellectually then maybe the lives and deaths of too many people might be. But here and now there are about seven billion people who are driving cars, riding buses, working on farms, offices and factories and they like their lights at night and the t.v. set too. As do we all. I applaud our Puna residents who have made themselves partially or fully energy independent.
So I got to wondering how to compare the scale of energy consumed annually by approx. 7 billion people in terms of the energy released by a Hiroshima sized nuclear bomb. This seems like a way to grasp the affects on our atmosphere and planet since energy released by fossil fuel sources of power generation are approx. 80% of world energy produced. And a Hiroshima sized nuclear bomb is a good analogy for war. We mostly burn oil on our island for electricity.
I found that these calculations have been done (http://saurorja.org/2011/11/05/world-ene...omparison/). To equal world energy consumption one Hiroshima size bomb would need to be detonated every 5 seconds. That is 6,300,000 Hiroshima Bombs in one year. It is hard to comprehend. But is is comprehendible.
Now I'm not a scientist but that is a darn lot of fossil fuel being burned which is.... "non renewable and produces green house gases" (and wars).
I gotta think about this awhile more.... but this kinda sums up why my three little colored dots went on "it's not oil" at the Pahoa meeting. My three priorities. I share everyone's concerns about geothermal practice and safety and possible expansion. I do think we have to find workable alternatives for ourselves and every person and creature on the planet.
My apologies if this offends anyone. Just my point of view.
Assume the best and ask questions.
Punaweb moderator
Punaweb moderator